Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines
Freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press are fundamental human rights protected by Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The existence of cyber media in Indonesia is also part of these freedoms.
Cyber media possess unique characteristics that require specific guidelines to ensure professional management and fulfillment of their functions, rights, and obligations in accordance with Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press and the Journalistic Code of Ethics. Therefore, the Indonesian Press Council, together with press organizations, cyber media operators, and the public, formulated the following Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines:
1. Scope
a. Cyber Media
Cyber Media refers to all forms of media that utilize internet platforms and conduct journalistic activities while complying with the Press Law and Press Company Standards established by the Indonesian Press Council.
b. User Generated Content
User Generated Content refers to all content created and/or published by users of cyber media, including articles, images, comments, audio, videos, and various forms of uploads attached to cyber media platforms, such as blogs, forums, reader/viewer comments, and other forms.
2. Verification and Balance of News
a.
In principle, every news report must undergo verification.
b.
News reports that may harm other parties require verification within the same report to fulfill the principles of accuracy and balance.
c.
The provisions in point (a) above may be exempted under the following conditions:
- The news genuinely contains urgent public interest;
- The initial news source is clearly identified, credible, and competent;
- The subject of the news cannot be located and/or interviewed;
- The media provides an explanation to readers that the news still requires further verification, which will be pursued as quickly as possible. This explanation must appear at the end of the same article, in parentheses and italicized.
d.
After publishing news as referred to in point (c), the media is obligated to continue verification efforts. Once verification is obtained, the results must be included in an updated version of the article with a link to the previously unverified report.
3. User Generated Content
a.
Cyber media must clearly display terms and conditions regarding User Generated Content that do not conflict with Law No. 40 of 1999 concerning the Press and the Journalistic Code of Ethics.
b.
Cyber media must require every user to register membership and complete a log-in process before publishing any form of User Generated Content. Further provisions regarding log-in procedures shall be regulated separately.
c.
During registration, cyber media must require users to provide written consent that published User Generated Content:
- Does not contain false information, defamation, sadistic material, or pornography;
- Does not contain prejudice or hatred related to ethnicity, religion, race, and intergroup relations (SARA), nor encourage acts of violence;
- Does not contain discriminatory content based on gender or language differences, nor degrade the dignity of the weak, poor, ill, mentally disabled, or physically disabled.
d.
Cyber media have absolute authority to edit or remove User Generated Content that violates point (c).
e.
Cyber media must provide a complaint mechanism for User Generated Content deemed to violate point (c). This mechanism must be easily accessible to users.
f.
Cyber media are required to edit, remove, and take corrective action regarding any reported User Generated Content that violates point (c) proportionally and as soon as possible, no later than 2 x 24 hours after the complaint is received.
g.
Cyber media that comply with points (a), (b), (c), and (f) shall not be held responsible for issues arising from content violating point (c).
h.
Cyber media are responsible for reported User Generated Content if corrective action is not taken within the time limit stated in point (f).
4. Retractions, Corrections, and Rights of Reply
a.
Retractions, corrections, and rights of reply refer to the Press Law, the Journalistic Code of Ethics, and the Right of Reply Guidelines established by the Indonesian Press Council.
b.
Retractions, corrections, and/or rights of reply must be linked to the corrected article.
c.
Every retraction, correction, and right of reply article must include the date and time of publication of such correction or reply.
d.
If a news article from one cyber media outlet is redistributed by another cyber media outlet, then:
- The responsibility of the originating cyber media is limited to the news published on its own platform or under its technical authority;
- Corrections made by one cyber media outlet must also be carried out by other cyber media outlets quoting the corrected report;
- Media outlets redistributing reports from another cyber media outlet and failing to apply corresponding corrections shall bear full legal responsibility for the consequences of the uncorrected report.
e.
In accordance with the Press Law, cyber media that do not provide rights of reply may face criminal fines of up to IDR 500,000,000 (five hundred million rupiah).
5. News Removal
a.
Published news may not be removed due to censorship requests from parties outside the editorial office, except in matters related to ethnicity, religion, race, intergroup issues (SARA), morality, the future of children, traumatic experiences of victims, or other special considerations determined by the Indonesian Press Council.
b.
Other cyber media outlets must also remove quoted reports from the original source once such reports have been withdrawn.
c.
Any removal of news must include the reason for removal and be publicly announced.
6. Advertising
a.
Cyber media must clearly distinguish between news products and advertisements.
b.
Every news report, article, or content that constitutes advertising and/or paid content must include labels such as “advertorial,” “advertisement,” “ads,” “sponsored,” or other terms clearly indicating that the content is promotional material.
7. Copyright
Cyber media must respect copyright as regulated by applicable laws and regulations.
8. Publication of the Guidelines
Cyber media are required to publish these Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines clearly and visibly on their platforms.
9. Dispute Resolution
Final judgments regarding disputes over the implementation of these Cyber Media Reporting Guidelines shall be resolved by the Indonesian Press Council.
Jakarta, February 3, 2012
(These guidelines were signed by the Indonesian Press Council and the press community in Jakarta on February 3, 2012.)
